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In today's podcast episode, I take you through a guided reflection to help you get in touch with your inner callings. I introduce psychosynthesis, the cutting-edge approach to psychology and spirituality I use as a psychospiritual therapist. At the end of this episode, I share the poem "This is My Vessel" from my book of therapeutic poetry "Inner Callings - a pilgrim's diary", to inspire you to return to the sacred sanctuary of your heart.
Here's the full version of the episode in written form:
Hello and thank you for tuning in today to episode number one of Inner Callings with Bristena Mantu. I am a psychospiritual poet and therapist and today marks a new beginning for me, and I'm super excited to share with you all about what I'm going to explore on this channel in times to come.
Before I dive in, I'd like to take you on a little reflection inside yourself to begin with. I would like to invite you to connect with yourself first, so you can have an experience of the essence of the subject matter in your own way first, before I describe it to you in words and ideas. I find that conveying new information through embodied experiences can be retained in much smoother and enjoyable ways.
So, if you're willing to go ahead with this experiment, I would like to invite you to find a comfortable position, either sitting on a chair, with your back relaxed and feet firmly planted on the ground. If you're driving, I'd recommend that you save this episode and come back to listen to it later. If you were preoccupied with other tasks whilst listening to this, I would encourage you to pause everything else you're doing, so you can bring your full attention to bear on what I'm about to say. Okay, good.
Now you can begin to arrive... See if it feels good to take a few deep breaths together. I'm going to inhale and exhale, and you can synchronise your breathing with me. So, breathing in. And breathing out. Breathing in and breathing out. Now allow your breath to settle into its regular rhythm. Just becoming present to this natural flow of breathing, the rise and fall of your belly as the air flows in and out of your nostrils. Good. Connecting with our breath is one of the most powerful gateways to our internal experience. We become aware of ourselves as the one experiencing ourselves, rather than just the contents of the experience itself. Good.
Now that you're starting to get a sense of your inner observer, I want you to become aware of what it's like to be in your body today. See if you can notice any areas of tension or contraction... maybe there are areas that feel good, that feel relaxed too. Are there any areas with more sensation? Are there any areas with no sensation at all? My invitation is that you simply notice. We're not judging, or trying to change our experience. We're simply becoming aware of the subtleties of our internal experience.
Now, see if you can become aware of any feelings or emotions that you're carrying with you today. We're not going to try to fix them or change them, we're simply making space and allowing them to be what they are. If something feels uncomfortable or painful, just take note of that feeling and welcome that. If it feels pleasant and expansive, acknowledge and welcome that feeling too. Feelings are like our internal weather, some days there are clear skies, other days it's rainy and windy. All natural phoenomena are part of a greater intelligence regulating the physical conditions for life on Earth. In the same way, our feelings are the way in which our internal organism is attempting to stay balanced and regulated. Just notice your feelings today, without going into a story about what they might mean. Good.
Now, stepping back from your feelings, I invite you to become aware of what your mind is currently preoccupied with. What thoughts are on your mind right now? See if you can notice the quality of your thoughts - are they chaotic and scattered, are they calm and steady, is your mind trying to figure something out right now? Is it trying to guard you from a feeling that you noticed earlier? Whatever your mind is up to, just become a witness to that. If you get caught in pursuing a thought form, simply notice that, and bring yourself back to a place of observing. If you don't have much practice doing that, you can simply imagine that you're resting on a chaise-longue in the middle of summer, watching clouds go by on the sky. The sky is always there, it's only the clouds coming and going. That is the nature of your mind too, but sometimes it becomes so overcast that we forget there's an endless spaciousness beyond the clouds. Good. Now you can begin to step back from observing the workings of your mind.
Now see if you can begin to breathe deeper inside yourself, in that place where you're most essentially yourself. That place where your innermost self resides. The most authentic, wise and true version of yourself, that deeper stiller presence right at the core of who you are. See if you can allow yourself to rest in that place for a moment...
Now as you're sat in that space, visualise yourself taking the shape of a musical instrument. Your favourite instrument, perhaps. Good. You're this instrument right now. Imagine that you are not only the instrument, but you're also the musician. Imagine yourself stood in front of this musical piece entitled: Inner Callings. Imagine yourself preparing to play this piece. Know that it's going to be the song of your innermost calling, and it's going to be that song you've always waited to play. Feel into your heart, as you listen to this song that is now about to begin. Mmm. Allow yourself to gently lean into it, at first. Become curious as to what melody is now being played from within you. See if you can attune your inner hearing to listen to the song that your heart wants to play the most. Good. Enjoy it, if tears flow, allow them to flow. If any you wish to make any vocal sounds, please go ahead. Allow yourself to become attuned to the song of your inner calling. Good. Now, this song is about to come to an end. Notice any feelings that arise within you as you realise this song is about to end soon.
Now think about your life as it is right now. Are there any areas of your life that would need to become infused with some of the melody you've just heard? If yes, what would that look like? What action can you take today to help bring some of this inner music out more into your life? Visualise yourself making that change. What support might you need to put into place, so that change can really take place? Is there someone in your life you might wish to reach out to? Is there anything that needs to be spoken, that you haven't been able to voice yet? In a moment, I'll invite you to open your eyes again, very gently and slowly. Come back to your senses, and take a piece of paper. You can write down what came up for you in this meditation. I'll give you a minute to do so.
Hey. Welcome back. If you've stayed with me so far, I wish to congratulate you. It's not always easy to be patient enough to stay in a reflection like this through to the very end, so if you're still listening to this episode, I get the sense that might really mean something for you. I'm not sure what that is, but it's up to you to take a moment and reflect what was it that really enticed you to remain and receive everything you've received so far. I also wonder about what inner callings might have been stirred so far inside for you.
In fact, this very feeling, this very opening that you might be experiencing in your heart right now, that's the very reason for doing what I'm about to do on this channel. The possibility that your heart could open again and experience itself anew, as a new possibility, as new hope for the life ahead. That is what motivates me to create this channel.
My passion and mission in life is helping people reconnect to the spark of divinity that resides in each and every one of us, and to help them express, embody and manifest that more freely in the world. Over the last few years, I have been studying psychosynthesis, a cutting-edge approach to psychology which infuses spirituality into the core of psychology, personal development and transformation.
Psychosynthesis is a context for psychospiritual development that views human beings as spiritual beings on a human journey of the soul, here on Earth to learn, grow and evolve in consciousness. Often we get stuck or blocked in life when we have lost touch with that inner spark, that drives us to become and express more of our innate potential. Psychosynthesis helps individuals reconnect with their true selves, take ownership of their inner authority and reinfuse their live with a sense of authentic meaning, value and purpose.
I have recently published a book of therapeutic poetry which breathes artistic life into these ideas, which I'm really excited to delve into on this channel in coming times.
I have a private counselling and therapy practice, both online and in person in SE London, and I am thrilled to be able to bring my clinical insights and understanding of how people actually get to change their lives, right from the heart of my practice.
If all of this speaks to you so far, I would like to invite you to subscribe to my channel, so you can be the first one to listen to how psychology, spirituality and art intermingle from my experience as an artist, therapist and client myself.
It is a dream come true to launch this channel, as it's going to be a platform for radical self-expression, and my hope is that it will inspire, empower and nourish your soul, so you can begin to listen to its whisperings and and take steps to create the life that you truly desire.
I would like to end this episode with the poem "This is My Vessel", which you can find on page 161 in my book. If you enjoy it, please consider purchasing it at www.bristenamantu.com/book
THIS IS MY VESSEL
In the midst of chaos
amongst unknown variables
shifting different streams of reality
I'm dreaming myself alive
Swimming in an ocean of possibility
smiling upon voices of fear
that no longer hold power over me
I am the captain and this is my vessel
oh, wind, where are you taking me next?
I am so poor, oh, I am so rich
I make and remake myself from scratch
from nothingness to everything
and the other way round
a thousand and infinite times!
Break me, upset me, deny me
I know I will give birth to myself
again and again, as often as necessary
stronger and more trustful
in my power and light every time
Laughing away at the comedy of existence,
crying in the same vein at the tragedy of it all
and when the daily show is over
I know I have a safe space to retreat to
in the sacred sanctuary of my heart.
Until next time we meet. take care :)